The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-25

i1ouller, the government has thrown the ADVICE
OF Its commissioners to the winds and has ceded
the hhoia-Saleh district to Russia, thus placing
Tue whole of Afghanistan at the mercy OF
the Car. No one believes that Afghan
lstan will mark the stopping point Of the
Russian advance. On the contrary. the indica-
tons point to a rapid Russian onslaught on
India. The revolution in Afghanistan may re-
suit 10 that country becoming province of
Russia, and an insurrection in India csn be used
as an entering wedge to pry open the gates OF
lndla. Mr. Charles Marvin. one of the best English
authorities on the affairs of Afehanistan and
India, says: Several months ago warned the
government of the Importance OF settling the
hham-l Alb question at once. and the dangers
which would arise in leaving it open so long
The war scare in 1885 brought ont the fact that
at Herat the Afghan is almost foreigner to the
Heratese, and in Afghan -Turkestan the case is
more prononnced-the Afghan being as much
FOREIGNER we ourselves in India.
throughout the whole of the region north of the
Hindoo- -Koosh the Ameer rules entirely through
prestige. The majority of the population
Usbegs. belonging by race to the people occupy
Ing the Russian province of Turkestan.
Afghan prestige has been shattered in
the region north of the Hindoo Koosh by the re-
cent concession of England to Russia Eng
lands duty was to take every precautlon against
the Ameer being stultifiec the Oxus The
Penjdeh incident shook severely the Ameer's
rule among the Herat sribesmen. and the dis
astrous effects of that attack upon ENGLAND and
the Aineer had not yet passed away when Eng
land made concessions calculated to still further
impair the Ameers power. 1t must not be for
gotten that this Afghan Turkestan, of which
khami-Ab is fringing portion. is as important
In Its way as the great camping ground o! Herat.
Its administrative center is Balkh, occupied by
several thousand Afghan troops, and containing
an arsenal and the various resources for equip
ping the Ameer's forces in Afghau-Turkestan
1t could offer resistance to Russia and with
its capture the Ameer's sovereignty north of the
Hindoo Koosh would practically collapse. Balkh
is only one hundred miles from khoja-Saleh,
where Russia has placed her Cossacks, and is
only three hundred miles from Samarcand, the
Kussian base of supplies and arms in
Turkestan. Russia has now completed her
railway to Tchardjni. on the Oxus, and can
send troops mp the river to within two three
marches of Balkh, thus rendering the capture Of
Balkh simpler operation than the seizure of
Herat and as the whole population of the sur
rounding country would probably go over to
Russia, sne wonld experience very little diff
Guilty in holding the place The Merv railroad
would then be pushed to Balkh. and there would
be direct railway communication between ST.
Petersburg and Balkh. or to within 300 miles Of
Cabul The kham-i-Ab business. therefore, is
to the well-being of Cabul what tae Peniceh
business was to the well-being of Herat There
was no reason for surrendering Kham-i-Ab, and
1t Will prove very serious matter to England
in the near future. The Russians bump
tious, though not unclvil, in their manner and
make disguise of their reliance upon the
enormous force which they can put upon the
Afghan frontier as compared with the small
number Of men at Englands disposal. Two
hundred thousand Russians would immensely
overmatch any force England could put forward
The Russians openly profess that they mean
to try for Afghanistan. They assume that it
may be possible to get over the objections of the
Afchans. and, if not. they calculate upon mas
tering them. Many Anglo-1ndiaus are of opin-
ion that in this view it was a great mistake to
Push ont, as it were. and meet the Russians.
Russian officers confess with great candor that
the Gar has designs upon the whole Of India
Old Indian officers express fears of rising in
India, owing TO the superiority of some of the
Indian troops to those sent occasionally from
England. On the last occasion when regiments
were dispatched to India the men were SO Young
| and Notwithstanding and were outshone
| BY the native regiments, that many Englishmen
experienced a sensation of alarm lest the obvi-
| Gus contrast should uuwholesomely affect the
| native mind. II the Indian regiments get ii
| thoroughly into their heads that English soldiers
are inferior to them in training and force the
| field, what there is of content among the popua-
| ton would not stand England in much stead"